Phoenix Nights star Dave Spikey heads for Halifax

Comic Dave Spikey will be looking back on his remarkable life and incredible journey from working class lad to chief biomedical scientist to comedy performer when he appears in Halifax at the end of the month.

The performer, whose TV credits include Phoenix Nights and Eight out of Ten Cats,will be bringing his biographical show Juggling on a Motorbike to the Victoria Theatre on Thursday, November 29.

Dave Spikey had been working in the NHS for 19 years as a biomedical scientist when in 1987 someone uttered the immortal words, “You’re really funny, you should be a comedian” and for some reason, he took them seriously.

Only a few short months later he was crowned the winner of the national talent show Stairway to the Stars. Larry Grayson, one of the judges, told him that it was a close run thing on the night but what clinched the award for Dave was his routine about a juggler on a motorbike.

Fast forward 13 years to Friday October 13 2000 - the day Dave switched off his microscope for the last time in the haematology laboratory. The following Monday he found himself sitting on a rain-swept local car park dressed as a giant berry!

He often reflects that maybe none of this would have happened and he might still be looking down his microscope today if it wasn’t for the juggler on a motorbike.

Multi award-winning Dave Spikey is one of the most sought-after comedy talents in the UK today. With a career spanning two decades, he has numerous TV appearances to his name as a stand-up comedian, presenter and actor - and behind the screens, as an acclaimed comedy writer.